[fl0wenol]

I take it you weren't surfing a lot sites back around the turn of the century (Internet mideval times); that site was one of the more high profile and controversial destinations that started several offshoots and inspired others. It was started around the same time as The Smoking Gun and had a similar profile at the time.

[M_Grey]

I was a stupid young guy at the time, in high school. I realize that we were some of the first (among many others of course) to surf those sites, and realize, "You know... this isn't fun, this isn't great, this is just... miserable." I still remember some of those things however, and with the viewpoint that life is already full enough of horrors, I regret it.

[wavefunction]

I thought The Smoking Gun was more of a dox drop/gossip site, if I'm remembering correctly. I always thought Rotten like efukt and some of those other sites were more into gore and various paraphilias.